Directory for drivers



Feb. 9, 1932. G. E. cooK 4 1,844,542

` DIRECTORY Fon DRIVERS Filed Deo. `9, 1929 Tia-1- -nTDWM CLUB 47E. SIST.

UNIV. |06 E. 5251'.

2602 W- BWAY.

George E. 000.6

Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES GEORGE E. COOK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DIRECTORY For. DRIVERS Application led December 9, 1929. Serial No. 412,697.

This invention relates to directories, and more particularly to directories attached to public conveyances such as taxicabs, and is an improvement to Patent No. 1,710,207

granted to me April 23, 1929. t

The invention aims to provide a directory which the driver may set to correspond to the directions given to him by a passenger upon the latters 'entry into -the conveyance and by means of which the driver is constantly reminded during the journey of hiswdestination Vand he need not make further inquiries of the passengers.

Among the principal objects of the invention are: to provide a directory in the nature of a container having a tape or ribbon on which groups of names and locations are printed or placed; to provide means for feeding the tape or ribbon past an opening or. aperture in the casing through Which the driver may View the tape or ribbon and the particular groups of names and locations imprinted thereon, and coming in coincidence With the opening or aperture; to provide a plate on which are contained an index of key names to which the names and locations on the tape or ribbon are centered; to provide means on the tape or ribbon to indicate When to stop Winding the tape or ribbon when exact group 3@ or naines and locations are reached in conjunction'ivith the index name on the plate; to provide means for attaching the directory to the steering post of the conveyance; to provide an illuminating means to illuminate 5 the back of the strip, tape oi' ribbon so that the ribbon mai/,be seen distinctly through the opening in the casing and the group of names and locations imprinted thereon ad] acent the opening made clearly visible; to provide ineans for reading the index names on the key plate and the ribbon more readily in the darlr; to provide i'neans'for rendering the illuiiinating means operative or inoperative at will; to secure simplicity of construction; and to obtain other advantagesand results as may be brought out in' the following description.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation view of the lie directory,

Figure 2 .is a side elevation view of the directory looking at the right of Figure 1, l

Figure 3 is afront elevation view of the directory with the cover removed to show the interior construction of the directory, and Y Figure 1 is a transverse crosssectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Description In the specific embodiment of the invention, the directory comprises a container or box 6, having the front open, a cover 7 adapted for placement over the open front of the container and having side flanges 8 adapted for snug disposition over the container, said cover having also a transverse slot f) through which the interior of the container may be viewed for the purpose here'inbefore described. The container and its cover are preferably constructed of sheet metal, al though, of course, other material may be used in the practice of the invention.

Frein the bottom of the container 6 and adjacent the ends thereof, are two depending U-shaped extensions 10-10 and attached theretois a clamp or holding means 11. The clamp 11 is used for fastening the container 6 in a convenient location near the driver, preferably on the steering apparatus. By attaching the container on the steering apparatus greater accessibility is afforded the driver for operation. Also, when driving at night he can better read the tape with the groups of names and locations imprinted thereon. However, itis to be understood "that the container 6 can be fastened to any other convenient object in the drivers compartnient of the conveyance.

Within the container are the spools 12 and 13, which are supported on parallel, horizontal axes extending transversely of the con-y tainer. rl'hese spools are mounted on shafts 14 and 15, the ends of which project through the sides of the container (i and are journaled in said sides which serve as bearings for said shafts. The vprojecting ends of the shafts on one side of the container are pei'iplierally grooved as at 16 and 17 respectively. A leaf spring 18 carried on the outside of the conquired to cause rotation of tainer is associated with the grooves of the shafts 14 and 15 for obtaining a frictional engagement. to retard rotation of the shafts. For this purpose near the ends of the spring, two laterally open slots are provided so as to permit applying the spring to said shafts and to accommodate the grooved portions 16 and 17 thereof. The central portion of the leaf spring is attached to the side of the container by being slid laterally toward the shafts and snapped past a raised portion or detent 18-a stamped out from the side of the. said container. This maintains the spring in position to exert a continuous clamping'action on the grooved portions of the shafts 14 and 15.

The spools within the container may be rotated by means of handles 19 and 20 to wind up a tape or ribbon 21 from one spool to the other as desired, the ends of the `tape -or ribbon being secured to the spools in any sultable or convenient manner to provide for the winding upon rotation of either spool. The leaf spring 18 serves vto maintain the disposition of the spools in service within the container, and also to control the force rethe spools, this being obtained by the self adjustment of the ends of the spring pressing against the grooved portions of the shafts.

The tape or ribbon 21 contains, imprinted, stamped or otherwise aiixed thereon a number of different representations of locations, a group of which may be brought opposite the aperture 9 to be seen bythe driver of the conveyance. In order that this tape within the container shall retain its original shape, and remain free from dirt, I have provided on the outside of the cover 7 and directly over the aperture 9 a glass covering.r 22. This glass is inserted within two flanges 23 extending the length of the opening in the cover. To retain the glass in place and to prevent it from sliding out, the ends of the flanges are pressed down thereby holding the glass securely in place.

An important feature of this invention is the means provided indicating the various groups of names and locations on the tape 21 to come in alignment with index names appearing on a key plate. The passenger informs the driver that he ticular title of a group of names on the tape is first brought under the aperture 9. After the operator has reached this title he knows the location wanted is in this group, and then continues to slowly rotate the tape until the exact location appears. For readily identifying the several groups While turning the tape rapidly the names and locations of each Group are divided by indicating means. ach group has a separate line 24 offset from the edge of the tape a distance different from wants to reach a` certain place, and the latter not knowing the any other line and a distance covering all of the names under the group heading.

Above the aperture 9 and in this instance shown aliixed to the vover 7 is provided a renewable key plate 25 having group titles imprinted thereon corresponding to the group titles on the tape. However, it is preferable that the group titles on the said key plate 25 be written or printed in a direction longitudinally with respect to the opening and so arranged that the same will be in alignment with the line 24 on the tape representing that particular group. This will enable the operator to quickly locate any desired place.

means are provided in the form of small rollers 26 of small diameter, positioned transversely -of the container and in parallel, horizontal relation, said rollers being journaled in the sides of the container 6 and in close proximity to the front thereof to guide the tape, so that it may be viewed easily and readily through the aperture.

I also preferably provide an illuminating means within the container 6 for illuminating the back of the tape so that the writing or printing on the tape may be seen through the aperture even in the dark or at night. This illuminating means is preferably an electric bulb or light 27 suitably mounted in a removable socket 28, said socket extending through an opening provided in the side of the container and towards the back thereof, the said light 27 being in direct line with the aperture 9. A lead wire 29 extends from the socket to the ammeter or battery, being connected thereto by a clip 30 at the end of the wire, thus supplying the necessary current for lighting the light in the container. To turn the light on and off at will means have been provided in the form of a switch handle 31 attached to the socket.

In order that,the index names 'of the keyplate can be read at night, and to permit proper adjustment of the tape for inding exact location, I have provided a metal reflector 32 removably attached to the container 6 by inserting a bent portion of the reflector between the key-plate and the cover 7. The reflector is the light 27 within the container is on, said reflector acting as the means for utilizing the the passenger informs the turning the handle 19 or 20 preferably used at night and when s isb , adapted to receive a light bulb, said reflector rays from the light proiecting through the aperture 9, to be thrown downward against the key-plate, thereby permitting the driver to :tollow the same procedure in finding a de sired destination on the tape by night as by day. As the reflector is not allixed permanently to the indicator, it can be removed :trein the indicator it desired during the daytime.

lt will be appreciated that the specific conn struction hereinbefore described and pointed out is to be construed merely as illustrative of the invention, and l desire to be restricted merely by the state o the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Claims:

l. A device as characterized, a container having a cover and a reflector, a key plate on said container, said reliector being removably mounted between the key plate and the coverl of the container, the container having a socket extending through the side thereof being so positioned that the projecting light from within the container will be reflected downward on the key plate, a tape having a plurality of designations thereon divided into groups within the container yand in the path of said light, said key plate having a plurality of index names to correspond with similar naines onithe tape.

lill

2. A device as characterized, a container having a cover and a reflector, a key plate on said container, said relector being removably mounted between the key plate and the cover ol the container, the container having a socket extending through the side thereof adapted to receive a light bulb, a tape having a plurality of designations thereon divided into groups within the container and in the path of the light from said bulb, said light illuminating the back ol the tape for readily reading the designations on 'the front o the said tape, said reflector receiving a portion of light from said bulb and reflecting the same upon the key plate.

GEORGE E. COOK. 

